The ‘story’ behind an ‘annoyed’ Lewis Hamilton at Chinese GP…. see more
Heading into the Chinese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton appeared visibly frustrated, a shift in his usual demeanor following his difficult debut with Ferrari in Melbourne. His performance in Australia had been disappointing, and it led to intense scrutiny in the media as fans and pundits debated his future with the Scuderia. However, Hamilton’s irritation wasn’t solely about his performance but stemmed from a different source—rumors surrounding his relationship with his new race engineer, Riccardo Adami.
Following the Australian Grand Prix, much of the attention focused on Hamilton’s interactions with Adami, particularly their radio exchanges during the race. As Hamilton struggled with qualifying and the rain-affected race, Adami frequently offered advice on topics like overtaking, DRS, and the weather. Hamilton, clearly frustrated, responded with repeated comments like, “Leave it to me, please.” By the end of the race, Hamilton’s displeasure was apparent when he criticized the team for a “missed opportunity.” This led to widespread discussions about the dynamics between Hamilton and his new engineer, with some questioning whether there was a communication breakdown or even a lack of respect.
The media’s portrayal of Hamilton’s radio exchanges quickly turned into speculation about a rift between the driver and his engineer. Hamilton, in turn, took to the press to express his frustration with the coverage, arguing that there were other drivers who were far worse on the radio but never received the same level of scrutiny. His annoyance over the portrayal of his relationship with Adami carried over into the days leading up to the Chinese Grand Prix.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Ted Kravitz, who interacted with Hamilton during the media sessions ahead of the Chinese GP, noticed the driver’s visibly irritated mood. Kravitz was the first journalist to approach Hamilton and immediately sensed something was amiss. It wasn’t until an Austrian journalist, working on a feature about engineers, asked Hamilton a question that the reason for his frustration became clear. Hamilton revealed that he was upset by the media’s interpretation of his radio messages with Adami. The way the exchanges were portrayed led some to believe there was tension between the two, and Hamilton took issue with this narrative.
Despite the media frenzy, Hamilton turned his frustration into motivation. He mentioned that he had arrived in China with a “bit more aggression” and was determined to prove himself. In the sprint race, Hamilton delivered a strong performance, starting from pole and securing the victory. This result showed that any earlier communication issues with his engineer were behind him, as Hamilton’s decisive victory highlighted his ability to overcome challenges and use the media’s scrutiny as a driving force for success.
